Holiday Market FUNdraiser

So I have been planning this fundraiser for a while now. I haven't been to one like it or even read about someone doing one like this (what was I thinking...).

I had several friends offer to do sales parties for me as a fundraiser. I had done that before last time for our previous adoption and it was fun. After several people asked me I thought...hey, instead of having to pick which one to host (cause we all know I am not gonna wanna ask people on multiple occasions to come shop), why not have multiple people here on ONE occasion, selling lots of things. And hey, it's getting close to Christmas, why not make it a holiday market? And hey, don't I know someone who sells such and such? And doesn't that person have a friend that sells such and such? And ...on and on it went.

So now, we have a holiday market fundraiser planned for this Saturday (1-4pm at my house for you locals just now learning of this!). We have 14 vendors coming, as well as our family selling our t-shirts and our coffees. My oldest daughter is selling her hair bows, and the little girls are selling Christmas ornaments. Little girls from our lifegroup will be selling pipe-cleaner creatures. It will all happen on my first floor (throughout all the rooms). Oh yeah, and I decided to throw in door prizes, refreshments, Christmas music -- and banks.

Banks??? Yes, I have "piggy-backed" piggy banks as an additional fundraiser. I have made 36 mason jar banks (they are pretty cute if I do say so myself, and no, they aren't really piggies...just felt like calling them that) that will be offered to the first 36 people in the door  anyone who will take them. A little explanation and some candy hugs and kisses are in the jars. Fill the jar with your loose change, bring it to us and dump into our large jug, keep the bank and collect again for another's adoption or to donate to something else. Cool, huh?

I have made a large display-board telling T's story with lots of pictures of her (SOOOOO wish I could share on here but our agency doesn't allow it) and another large display-board to show our coffees and t-shirts. We have bought a few t-shirts  (by the way they are awesome, great quality and super soft) for our family to wear.

I have sent out email invites and Facebook invites, re-invited those who didn't RSVP yet (I know I am driving everyone crazy!), made and distributed flyers, and told people. I have no real clue how many people will step through the door. My prayer is that it will be enough to give all my vendors many new contacts for future party hosting as well as some sales each. I just want there to be a continual flow of people from 1-4, when the open house market is scheduled. I am hoping for holiday cheer, good fellowship, and above all to glorify God through His people helping to give a little girl a home.

Oh and did I mention that the chess tourney I signed Jack up for, which had been pretty much cancelled due to low enrollment is now back on and will go all day rather than just the morning as I thought - meaning he and John will likely be gone all day, missing the market (John was to be my coffee guy)? Did I mention that I have been sicker this week (still not quite right) than I have been in years (I won't even go into it, you would run, but I promise - no contagious germs here anymore) and so have spent most of my time in bed or on the couch moaning about how much I have to do but unable to do it? Have I pointed out that I haven't been able to be at the bus stop to hand out the neighborhood flyers because I have looked so awful from being sick and had no energy to go down there?

AGH!!!! Help!!! I have awesome, wonderful vendors coming in one day. All have been so gracious and wonderful to give of their time as well as offer me cash rather than product rewards for hosting (some will give a percentage of sales). Say a prayer for me. Say a prayer for this event.  I have made a drawing of where all the tables will go and where each vendor will be located but having never done this before, I have no idea if this will work or what?? EEK!

The great news - even for you readers - is that for the vendors with online stores, this fundraiser will be going on for another week!! That's right. Any orders tagged on through next week, online, will count toward the total sales and thus the total of what we will earn toward our adoption!! YEEHA!!

So I will need to get emailing and posting again to my long distance family and friends to alert them to the continued sales going on to benefit our efforts to bring little T home.

Check out our next post for the listing of vendors and websites that are available and get a little Christmas shopping checked off your list! Wouldn't it be nicer to shop in your jammies by the fire, than out on Black Friday at the crack of dawn fighting off the other Target shoppers??


And keep me in your prayers. I have been so sick and so weakened from being sick (the weight loss is an added benefit!). I thank God for the timing and know he's in control of this thing, as He knows what's best and has me improving just in time for this event. I have been very discouraged, overwhelmed, and scared about how this will all come together in light of being sick and unable to get it all done on my own. I have had so many friends come alongside me to encourage me, shop, cook, and even clean my house. I am blessed with my sisters in Christ and God's sweet mercy. Thank you girls!

Up again during the night last night, feeling yucky and unable to sleep. I had my handy Bible app on my phone and the encouraging words of James that lifted my spirits - thank you Lord for your mercy, faithfulness to me, and saying just the right thing to me in the dark of the night...

"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly without a second thought."  James 1:2-7 (The Message)

"Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life." James 1:12 (The Message)